Hairbrush Cleaning Device

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a hairbrush cleaning device comprised of a body, a first end comprised of a removable rake head assembly or a removable brush head, and a second end further comprised of a vacuum, an interior compartment and a vacuum motor. The body of the device further preferably resembles a comb, rake or brush, and is also comprised of a rake attachment used to remove buildup on a hairbrush or a hairbrush attachment on one end of the body. On the second end, a vacuum opening is used to suck debris such as hair off of surfaces and/or from the hairbrush and trap it in an internal compartment to be disposed of. The device can be applied to any hairbrush or surface, such that the hairbrush or surface may be cleaned without making a mess or damaging the bristles or any other component of the hairbrush.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/233,797, which was filed on Aug. 17, 2021, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of hairbrush cleaning devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a hairbrush cleaning device that is comprised of a body, a first end further comprised of a removable rake head assembly or a removable brush head, a second end further comprised of a vacuum, an interior compartment and a vacuum motor. The body of the device further preferably resembles a comb, rake or brush and is flexible or semi-flexible, such that it can be gripped easily and firmly. The device is also comprised of a rake attachment used to remove buildup on a hairbrush or a hairbrush attachment on one end of the body. On the second end, a continuous vacuum opening is used to suck debris from a surface and/or the hairbrush and trap it in an internal compartment to be disposed of later. In this manner, the device can be applied to any surface or hairbrush, such that the surface or hairbrush may be cleaned without making a mess or damaging the bristles or any other component of the hairbrush. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture.

BACKGROUND

It is normal for most humans to shed between 50 and 100 hairs a day. For those with long hair, this shed hair is extremely noticeable and can give off the appearance of a dirty and messy area when the hair is shed and gets stuck on/in carpets, clothes, rugs, counters and many more places and surfaces. Shed hair can also be commonly found on the bathroom floor, getting stuck between toes and sticking to feet after a user has just showered. Therefore, in an effort to combat the shedding of hairs, many users will brush their hair regularly. Existing hairbrushes known in the art work to remove loose strands from a person's head, but can also easily collect dust, grime and bacteria. Cleaning said hairbrushes may also take time and effort. If not cleaned regularly, buildup on hairbrushes may get redeposited back onto the scalp of the user, threatening the health of one's skin and hair. Additionally, when cleaning hairbrushes, much of the residue falls to the floor or countertop and clutters the area further.

Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a device that can be used to clean hairbrushes. There also exists a long-felt need for a hairbrush cleaning device that can remove surface residue and loose strands of hair from a hairbrush, and store them in a compartment to be disposed of later. Further, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a hairbrush cleaning device that can collect residue from a hairbrush as the user brushes his or her hair. In addition, there exists a long-felt need for a hairbrush cleaning device that is compact and portable.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a hairbrush cleaning device. The device of is comprised of a body, a first end further comprised of a removable rake head assembly or a removable brush head, a second end further comprised of a vacuum, an interior compartment and a vacuum motor. The body of the device further preferably resembles a comb, rake or brush and is flexible or semi-flexible, such that it can be gripped easily and firmly. The device is also comprised of a vacuum opening at one end to suck debris off of a surface and/or the hairbrush, and trap it in an internal compartment to be disposed of later. The second end is further comprised of a rake attachment used to remove buildup on a hairbrush or a hairbrush attachment that can be used to brush hair. In this manner, the device can be applied to any surface or hairbrush, such that the hairbrush may be cleaned without making a mess or damaging the bristles or other components of the hairbrush.

In this manner, the hairbrush cleaning device of the present invention accomplishes all the forgoing objectives and provides a means to remove surface residue and loose strands of hair from a hairbrush. Further, the device contains a vacuum attached to an internal compartment that collects residues and strands of hair from surfaces, such as the floor, counter, etc. In addition, the vacuum of the device may be used to collect hair from the hairbrush while the user is brushing his or her hair to reduce the amount of hair found on countertops, floors and other common surfaces.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a hairbrush cleaning device that can remove buildup from the bristles and other surfaces of a hairbrush. The device is primarily comprised of a body having a first end further comprised of a removable rake head assembly or a removable brush head, a second end further comprised of a vacuum, an interior compartment and a vacuum motor. In differing embodiments, the body may have the appearance of a plurality of different comb, rake and brush styles. However, in the preferred embodiment, the body resembles a compact tube-like shape with an internal vacuum on one end and attachments on the other end. The body may also be made of a plurality of materials, such as rubber, stainless steel or aluminum. However, the body is preferably made of a flexible or semi-flexible plastic material with a textured grip. In addition, any surface of the body may be comprised of a plurality of indicia, such as patterns, logos, emblems, images, symbols, designs, letters, words, characters, animals, advertisements, brands, etc., that may or may not be hairbrush or cleaning-related.

To add attachments to the body, the body is comprised of female threads that engage with the male threads of the various attachments, such as a rake head and a brush head. The rake head assembly is comprised of rigid rake members able to comb through and remove dust, bacteria and other materials from the bristles of a hairbrush. The removable brush head is comprised of bristles extending from its top surface that can brush the head similarly in function to a generic hairbrush. The body is also comprised of a continuous vacuum opening on its second end. The bottom surface of the body opens on at least one hinge to reveal an internal compartment that traps hair and other materials captured by the suction of the vacuum.

In addition, the device is powered using a battery. The battery may be disposable or rechargeable. In differing embodiments, the battery is accessible to be replaced, or inaccessible without complete disassembly of the device. In the case that the battery is rechargeable and inaccessible, the battery may be charged via a USB port on the surface of the device. The battery is responsible for powering the vacuum motor as well as any other electronic components necessary to operate the device. The battery, motor and other electrical components are separate from the internal compartment into which debris gets vacuumed. A power button is also used to turn the device on or off.

Accordingly, the hairbrush cleaning device of the present invention is particularly advantageous, as it allows the user to clean a hairbrush efficiently. Further, the device can universally clean any hairbrush in a manner that does not damage the hairbrush but still removes surface residues and loose strands of hair. In addition, the device traps loose strands of hair and other materials in a compartment so as to not make a mess around the area in which it is used. Therefore, the device allows the user to maintain proper hair and scalp hygiene without redepositing sediment from a hairbrush back onto the scalp.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a hairbrush cleaning device of the present invention and a hairbrush (shown as prior art) in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a hairbrush cleaning device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture; and

FIG. 3 illustrates an enhanced perspective view of a second end of one potential embodiment of a hairbrush cleaning device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.

As noted above, there is a long-felt need in the art for a hairbrush cleaning device. There also exists a long-felt need for a hairbrush cleaning device that can remove surface residues and loose strands of hair from a hairbrush, and store them in a compartment to be disposed of later. Further, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a hairbrush cleaning device that can collect residues from a hairbrush as the user brushes his or her hair. In addition, there is a long-felt need for a hairbrush cleaning device that is compact and portable, as to not take up valuable space when travelling.

The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is comprised of a hairbrush cleaning device that removes buildup from the bristles and other surfaces of a hairbrush. The device is primarily comprised of a body, a first end further comprised of a removable rake head assembly or a removable brush head, a second end further comprised of a vacuum, an interior compartment and a vacuum motor. In differing embodiments, the body may have the appearance of a plurality of different comb, rake and brush styles, and in the preferred embodiment the body resembles a compact tube-like body, that is easy to grip with a vacuum on one end and attachments on the other end. The body may also be made of a plurality of materials, such as rubber, stainless steel, or aluminum, but is preferably made of a flexible or semi-flexible plastic material with a textured area to aid in grip. In addition, any surface of the body may be comprised of a plurality of indicia such as patterns, logos, emblems, images, symbols, designs, letters, words, characters, animals, advertisements, brands, etc., that may or may not be hairbrush or cleaning-related.

Further, the body is comprised of a plurality of female threads on its first end. A plurality of male threads on a removable rake head assembly or a removable brush head attach to the body by engaging the female threads. The rake head assembly additionally is comprised of a plurality of rake members, preferably made from a rigid material such as a metal, to thoroughly comb through and remove dust, bacteria and other materials from the bristles of a hairbrush. The body is also comprised of a bottom surface with an interior compartment where hair and other materials get deposited after being vacuumed from a hairbrush or other surface, such as a floor or countertop. At least one hinge connects the compartment to the body, and the bottom surface (which acts as a lid for the compartment) of the body to open and empty the collected debris. The compartment may snap to the bottom surface to close while the vacuum is in use. The removable brush head, in addition to a plurality of male threads, is comprised of a top surface, out of which bristles which can be used to comb the hair of the user.

In addition, the body is comprised of a continuous vacuum opening on its second end. A battery used for power and a vacuum motor used to operate the vacuum are other components. which are located inside the body at the second end. These components are separate from the internal compartment, where vacuumed debris gets captured in the device. The battery may be disposable, in which embodiment the body contains an accessible compartment that hinges open, allowing the battery to be replaced. Additionally, in a differing embodiment the battery may be rechargeable, in which a charging port, such as USB, may be found on the second end of the body.

Accordingly, the hairbrush cleaning device of the present invention is particularly advantageous, as it allows the user to clean a hairbrush in an efficient manner without the use of relatively large or inconvenient equipment. Further, the device can universally remove surface residues and loose strands of hair from any hairbrush in a manner that does not damage the hairbrush. In addition, the device traps loose strands of hair and other materials in a compartment, so as to not make a mess around the area in which it is used. Therefore, the device allows the user to maintain proper hair and scalp hygiene without redepositing sediment from a hairbrush back onto the scalp.

Referring initially to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a hairbrush cleaning device 100 of the present invention and a hairbrush 10 (shown as prior art) in accordance with the disclosed architecture. The device 100 is primarily comprised of a body 110, a first end 120 further comprised of a removable rake head assembly 122 or a removable brush head 140, a second end 130 further comprised of a continuous vacuum opening 132, an interior compartment 150 and a vacuum motor 160. In differing embodiments, the rake head assembly 122 and/or the removable brush head 140 have the appearance of a plurality of different comb, rake and brush styles that includes at least one or more styles, such as but not limited to: a fine-tooth comb, a pick comb, a pin-tail comb, a pocket comb, a rake comb, a rat-tail comb, a garden rake, a landscape rake, a thatch rake, a leaf scoop rake, a shrub rake, a stone rake, a wet hairbrush, a tiny boar bristle brush, a curved brush, a detangler brush, etc. Further, the body 110 may also be made of a plurality of materials such as rubber, stainless steel or aluminum, but is preferably made of a flexible or semi-flexible plastic, such as but not limited to: acrylic, polycarbonate, polyethylene, thermoplastic, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polylactic acid, acetal, nylon, fiberglass, etc. The grip 112 of the body 110 may be made of a material differing than that of the body 110 and may be textured in a way to retain the grip of the device 100. In addition, any surface of the body 110 may be comprised of a plurality of indicia such as patterns, logos, emblems, images, symbols, designs, letters, words, characters, animals, advertisements, brands, etc., that may or may not be hairbrush or cleaning-related.

In the preferred embodiment of the device 100 shown in FIG. 1 , the body 110 is shaped as a compact, tube-like structure with a plurality of female threads 114 on the first end 120 of the body, and a continuous vacuum opening 132 on the second end 130. In one potential embodiment, a removable rake head assembly 122 comprised of a plurality of male threads 126 is attached to the first end 120 of the body 110. Extending from the removable rake head assembly 122 is a plurality of rake members 124 used to comb through the bristles 12 of a hairbrush 10 (shown as prior art). The plurality of rake members 124 are preferably made of a rigid material, such as stainless steel or aluminum, but may also be made of a plastic described above.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a hairbrush cleaning device 100 of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. In one potential embodiment, the removable rake head assembly 122 is replaced by a removable brush head 140, so the device 100 may be used in a manner similar to existing hairbrushes 10. The removable brush head 140 attaches to the first end 120 of the body 110 in the same manner as the removable rake head assembly 122, via a plurality of female threads 114 on the body 110 that engage a plurality of male threads 146 on the removable brush head 140. Extending from the top surface 142 of the removable brush head 140 is a plurality of bristles 144 used to brush the user's hair in a manner similar to an ordinary hairbrush 10.

FIG. 3 illustrates an enhanced perspective view of a second end 130 of one potential embodiment of a hairbrush cleaning device 100 of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. The second end 130 is comprised of a continuous vacuum opening 132 that can remove materials from surfaces, such as a floor, countertop of the hairbrush 10 via a vacuum force and store the materials (e.g. hair strands, dust, grime, etc.) in an interior compartment 150. The bottom surface 116 of the body 110 is attached to the rest of the body 110 by at least one hinge 118 that allows the bottom surface 116 to open and close for the removal of vacuumed materials. Effectively, the bottom surface 116 acts as a lid for the interior compartment 150, which is present within the body 110. Protected by and contained inside the body 110 are components such as a vacuum motor 160, at least one battery 134 that powers the vacuum motor 160 and a power button 136 on the outer surface of the body 110 that allows a user to turn the vacuum motor 160 on/off as needed. The battery 134 may be a disposable battery 134 or a rechargeable battery 134 in the form of an alkaline, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride battery, etc. such as any 3V-12 volts DC battery 134 or other conventional battery 134 such as A, AA, AAA, etc., that supply power to the device 100. Throughout this specification the term “battery” 134 may be used interchangeably to refer to one or more wet or dry cells or batteries of cells, in which chemical energy is converted into electricity and used as a source of DC power. References to recharging or replacing the battery 134 may refer to recharging or replacing individual cells, individual batteries 134 of cells or a package of multiple battery 134 cells as is appropriate for any given battery 134 technology that may be used. A USB port 138 may be present that allows a user to recharge the battery 134 in one embodiment. The USB port 138 may be a plurality of USB types such as, but not limited to, USB-A, USB-B, Micro-B, Micro-USB, Mini-USB, USB-C, etc. The power button 136 may also be accessible on any surface of the body 110, such as the grip 112 or second end 130 of the device 100, such that it allows the user to control when the vacuum 160 is in use and not in use.

Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “hairbrush cleaning device” and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the hairbrush cleaning device 100 of the present invention.

Notwithstanding the forgoing, the hairbrush cleaning device 100 of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that they accomplish the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration and material of the hairbrush cleaning device 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the hairbrush cleaning device 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the hairbrush cleaning device 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the hairbrush cleaning device 100 may be of any size, shape and/or configuration that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.

What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hairbrush cleaning device comprising: a body; a rake head assembly; a removable brush head; a vacuum motor; and an internal compartment.
 2. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the rake head assembly and the removable brush head can be attached to the body.
 3. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the rake head assembly can be used to a clean a hairbrush.
 4. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the vacuum motor can be used to vacuum a hair.
 5. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 4, wherein the vacuumed hair is stored in the internal compartment.
 6. A hairbrush cleaning device comprising: a body comprised of a first end and a second end; a rake head assembly that removably attaches to the first end via a plurality of threads; a removable brush head that removably attaches to the first end via a plurality of threads; a vacuum motor; a battery that powers the vacuum motor; and an internal compartment located within the body.
 7. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 6, wherein the rake head assembly can be used to a clean a hairbrush.
 8. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 7, wherein the rake head assembly is comprised of a plurality of rigid rake members that can be used to comb through a plurality of bristles of the hairbrush.
 9. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 6, wherein the removable brush head allows the hairbrush cleaning device to be used as a hairbrush.
 10. A hairbrush cleaning device comprising: a body further of a first end, a second end comprised of a continuous opening, and a textured grip; a rake head assembly that removably attaches to the first end via a plurality of threads; a removable brush head that removably attaches to the first end via a plurality of threads; a vacuum motor; a battery that powers the vacuum motor; and an internal compartment located within the body.
 11. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 10, wherein the rake head assembly is in the form of a fine-tooth comb, a pick comb, a pin tail comb, a pocket comb, a rake comb, a rat tail comb, a garden rake, a landscape rake, a thatch rake, a leaf scoop rake, a shrub rake, a stone rake, a wet hairbrush, a tiny boar bristle brush, a curved brush or a detangler brush.
 12. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 10, wherein the removable brush head assembly is in the form of a fine-tooth comb, a pick comb, a pin tail comb, a pocket comb, a rake comb, a rat tail comb, a garden rake, a landscape rake, a thatch rake, a leaf scoop rake, a shrub rake, a stone rake, a wet hairbrush, a tiny boar bristle brush, a curved brush or a detangler brush.
 13. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 10, wherein each of the rake head assembly and the removable brush head have a plurality of female threads that engage a plurality of male threads located on the first end of the body to allow the rake head assembly or the removable brush head to attach to the body.
 14. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 10, wherein the top surface of the removable brush head is comprised of a plurality of bristles.
 15. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 10, wherein the continuous opening of the second end allows a plurality of hairs to be vacuumed into the internal compartment by the vacuum motor.
 16. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 10, wherein the battery is disposable.
 17. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 10 further comprised of a USB port and can be used to recharge the battery.
 18. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 17, wherein the USB port is a USB-A, a USB-B, a Micro-B, a Micro-USB, a Mini-USB or a USB-C port.
 19. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 10, wherein a bottom surface of the body is secured to the body via an at least one hinge.
 20. The hairbrush cleaning device of claim 10, wherein the bottom surface acts as a lid for the internal compartment. 